Debt Payments Cause Political Woe in Ireland

By

Eamon Quinn

Feb. 5, 2013 7:17 a.m. ET

DUBLIN—The Irish government's credibility with voters would suffer sharply if it failed to win a deal to ease repayments on its huge bank debts, but the lack of an agreement probably wouldn't cause the government's immediate collapse, according to experts.

As talks with the European Central Bank have appeared to falter in recent weeks, some government lawmakers have warned that requiring Dublin to keep repaying €31 billion ($41.89...